ACR or aftermarket

chud298 · Post by **chud298** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:09 am

I'm bedabating weither to put on ACR struts and springs or get the aftermarket adjustable struts with the ACR springs on my 98 R/T. I know that the only difference is that the struts are different from the ACR to the R/T and the springs are the same but I'd be getting it as a package so I'd just order the ACR springs. What do you guys think. I know adjustable is great but I've also heard it's a hassel.

Post by **Vinny** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:40 am

I would buy Koni yellows (aftermarket) and fit them with Mopar Performance High-Rate springs. Koni Yellows are the same as a factory (black) ACR Koni except you can get them cheaper. AFAIK there still is no other option besides Koni for adjustable 1st gen Neon struts. My Konis have not been a hassle in the slightest.

Don't go with ACR springs, they will make the car sit too high. They are a linear-rate spring, I hear the ride is better than any aftermarket spring, and a lot of people with experience auto-xing Neons have said that Konis and High-Rates are the best budget suspension setup available. The High-Rates are under $100 a set if I remember right.

I have the original 70k-mile black Konis with Eibach Pro Kit springs on my ACR, and I love it. I do however plan on switching to High-Rates, possibly even before I get the car back on the road.

chud298 · Post by **chud298** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 3:00 pm

I keep trying to find pro kit springs from Koni that aren't for lowering. If you have any sites can you give them to me.

evlneon · Post by **evlneon** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 3:25 pm

KONIS + HIGH-RATES = T3H W1N!!!!1one!!1

i love ^ this setup on my car.

i just need a bigger front swaybar, and a swaybar on the rear damnit.

Post by **Vinny** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:50 pm

Do you NOT want your car lowered at all? May I ask why? Mopar Performance High-Rate springs do lower the car slightly, but they are not "lowering springs" per se as they were designed for actual race use. They are similar to the R/T / ACR spring, but with a higher spring rate and a slightly lower ride height.

If you are dead set about not lowering the car at all, look into Mopar Performance X-High Rate springs. They have an even higher spring rate than the High Rates. I have heard though that the ride on these is not very good, these are used pretty much exclusively in competition (auto-x/solo).

Koni doesn't make springs. Pro Kit springs are made by Eibach. Eibach springs are good, but Mopar Perfromance springs are better when it comes to Neons.

Mopar Performance springs can be puchased here: http://www.mopartsracing.com/parts/neon.html

...from Fenton Dodge: http://neons.org/forumdodge

or from your local Dodge dealer parts counter

chud298 · Post by **chud298** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:47 am

Yeah I don't want to lower my car because lowering a neon is really not good. I've heard about tons of problems and they really don't recomend it because the neon is low as it is. I mean I'm not trying to put any of your theories down that's just what I've heard from everyone whose lowered their neon then found out it was a bad idea and a lot of problems occur in the suspension, I just don't want to take a riska nd it's really not worth it to lower it

Post by **Vinny** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 12:37 pm

A Neon low as it is? Stock Neons look like 4x4s! Let me put it this way, I had my old '98 highline lowered for 3 years and never had a problem with it, and my dude owned it for another year after I sold it with no suspension issues. My '97 ACR was lowered years ago before I owned it, and the original struts have held up fine. 1st gen Neons do have a lack of suspension travel which can cause for a harsh ride, and some of the more radical lowering springs have been known to blow out stock struts and even KYBs, but as for actually causing problems that is straight up misimformation. As long as the work is done properly, and you make sure to correct the negative camber in the rear, there will be no problems.

The springs we have been recommending to you are mady by Chrysler, to OEM quality standards. If there was really a problem in lowering these cars, Mopar would not be selling springs for them with reduced ride height.

Not trying to talk you into doing something you don't want to do, but I don;t want to see you not lower your car because of some sort of bad info you got.

chud298 · Post by **chud298** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 4:13 pm

I can see you guys talking about the 2nd generation but not the first. The 2nd looks like it was kicked in the ass lol. Yeah I'm going to see what the clearence is with my rims. I'm getting them on on saturday so we'll have to see

chud298 · Post by **chud298** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 9:49 pm

Low-riding cars can be at risk for bump steer. It can cause the wheels to turn in or out after hitting a bump in the road. When a car gets lowered it can change the angles of the steering linkage. Also another problem is that the tie rod ends can move (bend) due to extra stress placed on them. CV joints can prematurally go, and due to the extreme angle that the A-arms are, the drive shafts can take a pretty serious beating.